Radius-rod attachment means.



R. H. HASSLER.

RADIUS ROD ATTACHMENT MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26, 1915.

Lm%, T Patented Dee. 14, 1915.

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R. H. HASSLER.

RADIUS ROD ATTACHMENT MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26 1915.

l 9 A Patented Deo. 14, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. H. HASSLER.

RADIUS ROD ATTACHMENT MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2e, I9I5.

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. HASSLER.

RADIUS ROD ATTACHMENT IVIEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26, I9I5.

Patented Deum, IDI.

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RAIUS-RD ATTACHMENT MEANS.

ideama i i Specification of Letters Patent.

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Application filed April 26, 191%. Serial No.`2t,128.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that ll, ROBERT H. HAssLER,

'a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful llmprovements in Radius-Rod Attachment Means, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to chassis construction for automobiles, trucks and the like, and hasspecial reference to radius-rod end supports where the rod is attached to the axle and also to the frame.

The object is to provide a strong and durable attachment and support for the radiusrod which will be at the same time elastic as to end thrust, lateral movement or torsional strain, whereby the vehicle will be` easier riding and less liable to damage on rough roads or in turning corners or rounding curves rapidly.

I accomplish the objects of the invention by the mechanism and means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a chassis for an automobile embodying my invention and showing parts sectioned adjacent the propeller shaft for purposes of clearer illustration. Fig. 2, is a section longitudinally of the radius-rod through the support which connects an end of the rod with the rear axle, the view being on a larger scale than that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a section on the vvline 3-3 of Fig. 2. l Fig. 4, is a view similar to Fig. 2f, showing the displacement of the spring under an end thrust of the radiusrod. Fig. 5,-the same under a swinging displacement of the rod. Fig. 6,` is a view in front elevation of one end of the front axle with the casing for supporting theradiusrod attached, and in partial section,-the spring and rod not being shown. Fig. 7, is a horizontal section longitudinally of the radius-rod of a modification wherein the spring-bearing disks on the rod are more extended and the outer oneis elastically held to the spring, and Fig. 8 is a modification wherein the outer coil of the spring` is fastened to a tubular rod and the spring supported from its center coil.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. l

By way of illustration have shown my invention applied, in Fig. 1, to the chassis of an automobile, but desire that it be clearly understood that it is'not my desire nor in tent1on to limit the application of my device to the form and arrangement of associated parts here shown.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, 8 are the wheels, 9 the front axle, 10 the rear axle tube, 11 the main frame, 12 a leaf spring connecting the front axle with the frame, 13,13, a palr of leaf springs connecting the rear axle with the frame; 14, 14, inside brackets on the frame on the ends of which a fork 15 for supporting a propeller-tube 16, is pivotally mounted. The propeller shaft tube 16 is rigidly secured to the casing 17 which contains the usual diderential gears, and it has longitudinal adjustment in the sleeve of the fork between the collars 18, 18. A propeller shaft 19 is mounted in the tube 16, and is splined with sliding adjustment in the sleeve of a universal joint 20, which in turn is coupled to a crank shaft 21 of a propelling engine (not shown). rIhe necessary adjustment between the crank shaft, mounted on the main frame, and the rear axle which is connected with the frame by the leaf springs 13, 13, is thus afforded.

It is also desirable to provide radiusor brace-rods from the frame to both axles, with an adjustment to allow for variable distances between said parts due lto the spring connections between them',y which adjustment should be elastically controlled to reduce the jar and strain on the vehicle.A l have shown four of said radius-rods 22 in Fig. l of the drawings, but a greater or less 'number may be employed according to the Fach rod will be provided A requirements. near each of its ends with an annular enlargement 23, (see Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 7), here shown as integral with the rod` but which obviously might bea removable member slipped overa reduced outer portion of the rod and held by a shoulder formed by said` reduced diameter. |llhe extreme rod-end is screw threaded as shown, and this threaded end is passed through the innermost coil of a volute spring 24:, where it is held against the enlargement 23, by a washer 25, and a nut 26, the latter being preferably castellated as shown and screwing on the threaded end of the rod. The corners of the enlargement 23 and of the washer 25, are rounded or chamfered next to the spring to avoid interference there with 'the spring at certain adjustments of the rod. ,l

The spring 24 is supported by an annular casing 27 which has an inside channel 28 in which the outer coil of the spring is seated,the casing being split, as shown, to facilitate the assembly. For attachment to the front axle, from which it is suspended, and to the frame to the side of which it is fastened, I provide an extension 29, from the casing with perforated lateral members through which perforations bolts 30 are passed and the casings made fast in the manner shown.

For attachment of the casing 27 to the rear axle tube I form it with a collar-eXtension 31 (see Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5) which is slipped on over the end of the tube and is held in place by a set screw or other suitable means.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7 therange of adjustment between the rod and casing is limited by extensions 33 of the peripheries of the members 23 and 25, and an adjustment longitudinally of the rod of the outer washer is provided for automatically by the action of a spring 35, interposed between the washer and the nut. fords an additional resiliency for resisting the end-thrust of the rod.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the radius-rod is tubular and has an expanded end 36 which is internally channeled and forms a seat in which the helical spring 24 is seated. The support for the spring, here shown as a hanger 37 suspended from the rear axle, is fastened to the middle coil of the spring by a stub-shaft 38 passed through the coil and held by a washer 39 and collar 40 pinned to the shaft instead of being screwed thereon.

In some applications in practice the abovedescribed spring-support is only used for one end of the radius-rod, the other end being fastened in more or less fixed manner to the frame or to the aXle; f

This af- The operation of my elastic support will be readily understood from the drawings:

For anend movement of the radius-rod the spring will give toward either side of the volute in the manner shown in Fig. 4, and the spring will allow for a swinging adjustment of the rod in any direction in the manner shown in Fig. 5. The spring will also afford a lateral adjustment of the rod,in fact a universal one.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new'and Wish to secure by Letters Patent of the'United States, is-

1. The combination with a radius-rod of means for attaching and supporting one or both ends of the rod, said means comprising a volute spring to a coil of which the rod is fastened to move always with the coil.

2. The combination with a radius-rod of means for attaching and supporting one or both ends of the rod, said means comprising a volute spring to a coil of which the rod is fastened and a spring-support fastened to a convolution of the spring at the other end of the spring from that to which said rod is fastened.

3. The combination with a radius-rod of means for attaching and supporting one or both ends of the rod, said means comprising a volute spring to a coil of which the rod is fastened to move always with the coil, and a pair of bearing members between which the spring is assembled and which limit the lateral displacement of the coils.

In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 15th day of April, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and fifteen.

ROBERT H. HASSLER. [Ls] Witnesses:

F. W. WOERNER, L. B. WoERNER. 

